Monitoring other drivers while approaching or stopped at an intersection is a smart decision. Some drivers choose to yield the right of way to others because of how they behave at intersections.
Drivers who have their phones in their hands or who keep looking down at their laps are likely reading text messages or even emails. While handling a phone at an intersection may seem safer than texting while actually driving, texting at an intersection can still lead to dangerous distraction and preventable crashes.
Cognitive distraction lingers
The brain needs time to refocus. When a person looks down at a screen to read or compose a text message, their brain cannot accurately monitor their surroundings. When a driver sets their phone down and looks ahead, they may remain distracted for some time when they resume driving.
Even without manually handling a phone, drivers using speech-to-text software may continue to demonstrate impaired focus for an average of 27 seconds after composing a talk-to-text message. They could travel half a mile on higher-speed roads before their surroundings truly become their top cognitive priority again.
Drivers who become distracted by digital devices endanger everyone else on the road. Other motorists can protect themselves by identifying those who have split their attention, even when stopped at an intersection.
Those injured by distracted drivers may be able to get compensation through insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits. Getting experienced legal guidance to review crash reports and other evidence can help those involved in distracted driving collisions hold unsafe motorists accountable for their dangerous conduct on the road.